WORLDWIDE,
UNITED STATES WATERS, BAHAMAS, FLORIDA,
SOUTH CAROLINA, HAWAII, NORTH CAROLINA, CALIFORNIA, AND
VOLUSIA COUNTY*

2001
INCIDENTS

2000
INCIDENTS

1999
INCIDENTS

2002
INCIDENTS

2003
INCIDENTS

2004INCIDENTS

FATALTIES
1990-2004

WORLDWIDE

76

85

58

63

57

61

100

US
WATERS**

50

50

37

47

41

30

12

BAHAMAS***

4

4

1

1

1

1

0

FLORIDA

34

37

26

29

30

12

3

VOLUSIA
COUNTY,
FLORIDA

22

12

9

18

14

3

0

SOUTH
CAROLINA

3

2

2

2

3

1

HAWAII

3

2

5

6

5

3

2

NORTH
CAROLINA

2

5

0

3

0

2

2

CALIFORNIA

1

3

2

4

1

6

4

VIRGINIA

1

0

1

0

0

0

1

Texas

1

2

0

1

0

4

0

*
Numbers
come from news accounts and the records of the Shark
Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History
of the University of Florida.

2004

There were 7 fatalities in 2004. Two of the fatal attacks occurred in Australia. Single fatalities were reported for Hawaii, California, South Africa, Brazil, and Egypt.

2003

There
were 4 fatalities in 2003. Two of the fatal attacks
occurred in Australia. Single attacks occurred in California, South America, and
Fiji.

2002

There
were 3 fatalities in 2002. Two of the fatal attacks
occurred in Australia and one took place in Brazil.

2001

**
(
While most incidents occurring in United States waters
in 2001 to date were not life threatening, there have
been three fatalities in the United States. Twenty-two
attacks in Florida waters occurred at New Smyrna Beach
in Volusia County, a marine area popular with surfers
and abundant with bait fish. Surfers and boogie
boarders were mostly bitten on the foot, but several
were bitten on the calf, other part of the leg or
hand. One surfer was bitten at Santa Rosa Island and
and another at Neptune Beach.

Three
swimmers in North Carolina received bites on the leg
or hand. A wading couple was attacked on the Outer
Banks of North Carolina over Labor Day weekend. The
female survived but the attack on her male companion
resulted in a fatality.

As a
result of a shark attack at Langdon Beach, Pensacola,
Florida an eight year old boy emerged from a coma with
serious injuries.

An
attack on a ten year old surfer at a remote coastal
community south of Virginia Beach, Virginia resulted
in a fatality during the September Labor day weekend.

***
In
the Bahamas, a swimmer at the Our Lacaya beach had to
have his leg amputated above the knee as a result of
an attack, and a spear fisherman at Grand Bahama
Island lost half of his calf muscle in an attack.

CHANCES OF A
FATAL SHARK ATTACK

Statistics
and news accounts have indicated an individual is more
likely to be killed by a lightening strike than in a
shark incident. One study covering a thirty year
period shows on average that about 172 people are
struck by lightning in the United States each year. Of
this group there will be about 47 fatalities. News
accounts indicate an individual is more likely to be
killed by Christmas tree wiring or a plane crash, and
less likely to be bitten by a shark than win the
lottery.

CARIBBEAN -
BAHAMAS

(
Abacos, Bimini, Andros, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Eluthera,
Cay Sal Banks, San Salvador,etc. ) For the 105 year
period between 1896 and September 2001 there were 41
documented shark attacks in the Bahamas; two of these
were fatal.

CARIBBEAN -
ANTILLES ISLANDS

(
Puerto Rico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamacia,
Netherland Antilles, Guadelope, and Martinique)
- In the last 105 years there have been 42
attacks with 18 fatalities in the Caribbean Antilles
Islands.

FLORIDA

Florida
leads the United States in shark incidents. During the
118 year period between 1882 and 2000 , there were 118
shark incidents in Volusia County, 70 incidents
in the waters off of Brevard County and 55
incidents in Palm Beach County waters.
Florida's long coastline, warm climate, numerous
beaches, and resident and tourist recreation
activities in the water such as the surfing at New
Smyrna Beach have resulted a higher number of shark
incidents than neighboring states.

FLORIDA KEYS
(Monroe
County)

In the
118 year period between 1882 and 2000, there were 27
shark incidents with one recorded fatality in the Florida Keys
in 1952. (Monroe County).

OId newspaper accounts have limitations as far as recording method. Shown below is an old Key West postcard with an image a shark and a human arm.

The front of the card shows an image of what looks to be 2 sharks with human remains. The text on the photo reads,"Man Eating Shark Nov 13, 1923 Caught at Key West Florida.".The carcess of one shark is cut open with what appears to be a human hand and arm bone shown below.

The text on the reverse side reads Nov 13, 1923 Miami Florida, Dear Ma & Pa. Here is a man eating shark like they catch down here. He is big as a small steam boat, Love Howard."